Traffic diversions are in place in several parts of Bengaluru on Wednesday as thousands of people are expected to gather for a protest to show solidarity with Congress leader DK Shivakumar, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) earlier this month.
Thousands of people affiliated to Congress and various Vokkaliga organisations will take out a protest from National College Grounds to Freedom Park. The procession will start from the National College Grounds at 11.30am. Congress cadre and members of various Vokkaliga organisations from 12 south Karnataka districts, mostly from Ramanagara, Kanakapura and Bengaluru Rural, will be participating in the protest.
In order to facilitate flow of traffic due to the protests, diversions have been put in place. Commuters plying from KG Road via Palace Road must turn right at Elite Junction and go through Tank Bund Road. Those going to Chalukya Circle must must turn left near Maharani College Bridge and go through KR Circle.
For commuters travelling from Seshadri Road, the upper ramp near Anand Rao Circle must be used to go through Race Course Road via JD(S) circle. Those travelling from Kempegowda Bus Stand to KR Market must start from NR junction and go through Devanga Junction, Poornima Talkies and then through Lalbagh Main Gate before reaching Lalbagh West Gate and then go to KR Market.
Commuters must turn left at Hudson Circle and reach Devanga Junction to reach Richmond Circle. Those going from Richmond Circle to Majestic must go through Hudson Circle, reach KR Circle and take the Old Post Office Road. Vehicles going towards KR Puram must go through Seshadri Road, Race Course Road, Chalukya Circle, Raj Bhavan junction and go through Infantry Road from the Coffee Board signal.
Around 5,000 civil police personnel will be deployed along the protest route. Fifty platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police and 40 of City Armed Reserve, and 550 home guards will also be deployed.
A total of 11 DCPs, 42 ACPs, 106 inspectors and 373 sub-inspectors are also being deployed, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao said. Over 500 temporary CCTV cameras have been fixed along the stretch and policemen in plainclothes will also carry video cameras to shoot the protest footage.